Investor



(N9 Model.)

H. H. HOFFMAN.

ELECTRIC MAT. N0.-332,254. Patented Dec. 15, 1885.

ELI;.J.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARVEY H. HOFFMAN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ELECTRIC MAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 332,254, dated December 15, 1885.

Application filed July 17, 1885.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARVEY H. HOFFMAN, a'citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Electric Mats, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a mat so arranged as to close an electric circuit for the purpose of ringing abell or operating any similar device when trod upon, and I secure this object in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view with a portion of the enveloping fabric removed. Fig. 2 is a side and edge view of the metallic strip; and Fig. 3 is a side and edge .view of the wire which is combined with the strip.

In constructing the mat I proceed as follows: A narrow strip of spring-brass, D, of suitable length, having its ends insulated, pierced with eyes F F, and provided with insulated connecting-wires d, is laid upon a Wire, E, the ends of which are bent into eyes G G, which come under and coincide with the eyes F F. The eyes G G are thoroughlyinsulated, and have attached to them two insulated connecting-wires, g g, and the shank of the piece E is also provided with one or more insulating-pieces, e, to keep the pieces apart when not being trod upon. The two pieces D E are connected together by eyes in either end,

Serial No. 171,904. (No model.)

and thus arranged form a complete strip, a number of which are laid side by side upon a piece of woven fabric, B, and sewed thereto by passing thread f through the eyesin either end. The flexible.conducting-wires d upon the strip D are joined to similar wires upon the adjoining strips, the wires 9 on the piece E being joined in the same manner to the wires on the adjoining pieces E, and so on until all of the strips D are connected, the piecesE the same,the groups thus formed being insulated from each other, and forming the terminals of wires H, connected to a battery, I,with a bell, J, in circuit. The whole is then covered with another piece of fabric, A,which is stitched at G at its edges to the piece B.

I claim The spring-piece D, forming one pole of an open electric circuit, connecting-wires d, attached thereto, the rod E, forming the opposite pole,counecting-wires g, attached'thereto, insulating-pieces 6, battery I, and bell J combined and arranged as shown, and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name, in presence of two witnesses, this 9th day of July, 1885.

HARVEY H. HOFFMAN.

Witnesses:

L. H. LATIMER, GERRY G. SCHWARTZ. 

